


A Rose by Any Other Name

by Rachel_Lu



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Book: The Stone Rose, Doctor Feels (Doctor Who), F/M, Fluff, Resolved Sexual Tension, Second Kiss, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 17:45:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5173385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachel_Lu/pseuds/Rachel_Lu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and the Doctor talk about their latest adventure, and it just might change them forever<br/>*Set immediately after "The Stone Rose"*</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Rose by Any Other Name

Rose stood by the side of the road with the Doctor, waiting for the wagon they were going to ride on the back of to get back to the TARDIS. She couldn't resist reaching over and grabbing his hand, lacing their fingers together. She'd very nearly lost him, she didn't want to even think for a moment that he wasn't there, that she was losing him again.

In response, he tightened his grip on her, tugging her into his side and grinning down at her. Rose couldn't help but smile back at him, like she would resist doing so in any other situation. She tilted her head against his shoulder. "Do you think Vanessa'll be okay?" She asked, "I mean, she's just had quite the time of it, don't you think?"

"Yeah," the Doctor replied, drawing out the syllable. "I think she'll do very well. She'd definitely more mature than she was when she first came in here, and she'll certainly be able to help the world."

Rose wanted to breach the subject of the statue. She also wanted to breach the subject of the kiss. The kiss, that he, for one, had initiated. And they won't out of their minds or dying. Quite the contrary, in fact; they'd just discovered they were going to live. 

There were so many things she wanted to ask, but she had a feeling that it was best to wait until they got back to the TARDIS. If she asked him here, he'd certainly feel cornered and would panic; at least in the TARDIS he'd have somewhere to run to if he decided he didn't want to talk to her. She sincerely hoped that wouldn't be the case.

He swung their hands between them, making her lift up her head. "You certainly fit the garb of the Century," he said, glancing down at her. "You look lovely."

She grinned up at him. "Thanks. Nothing compared to your manly, hairy legs, though."

He sniffed. "You like it."

She wanted to push it further, she always did when they were flirting like this, like it was nothing. It wasn't nothing to her, and after today, she wasn't sure she would be able to pretend that it was. With any luck, she wouldn't have to.

It was still too soon after his regeneration, at least, that was the feeling she had. He'd think that the only reason she wanted him was because his face had changed and she could well and truly promise him that that was not the case. It was how close they'd grown since it had all happened. He'd become more open towards her, and more than a little bit tactical. 

She liked it.

A lot.

"Here's our ride," the Doctor drawled in a very poor American accent. Rose rolled her eyes as he tugged her towards the wagon, which held nothing but vegetables that she was sure would go bad within the week. He pulled his hand from hers and turned her around. At her surprised look, he furrowed his brows. "I'm going to give you a boost."

"Yeah, okay," Rose nodded and set her hands on his shoulders. He clasped his hands on her waist and lifted her as she jumped, landing her safely on the wagon. 

"Now how are you going to get up?" She asked teasingly.

He looked at her as though he was offended. "Rose Tyler, I am significantly taller than you and can climb onto this wagon just fine by myself."

"Mind you don't flash anyone," she said, allowing her eyes to briefly wander over his tunic. When her gaze lifted to his face again she nearly shuddered at the dark look in his eyes. The look, however, was gone almost as quickly as it came as he hoisted himself onto the cart next to her.

"Is everyone on who's getting on?" the driver of the wagon asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, we're ready to go," the Doctor called back, his hand finding Rose's again. 

She found that they were sitting very close indeed, her shoulder fitted just under his, his arm crossing hers and meeting her hand. They were pressed together all the way to their hips, and Rose felt her eyes drooping slightly, even if she wanted to stay awake and memorize the feeling as well as she could while it was happening.

"Rose," The Doctor said quietly, clearly trying to get her attention.

"Mm," she dropped her head to his shoulder again, resisting the urge to take it a step further and cuddle into him.

"I think..." His voice trailed off, and Rose furrowed her brows in confusion.

"What is it, Doctor?" 

He squeezed her hand. "You're tired," he said softly, "Get a nap, I'll wake you when we get to the TARDIS."

Rose wanted to object, but really just couldn't do it. Her eyes drifted closed. "Alright," she agreed. "Don't let me fall off the wagon."

The Doctor chuckled, "You won't fall with me on watch, Rose, I promise."

She wasn't really sure how she even drifted to sleep after that comment, but the point was, she did. And she didn't think she'd ever felt safer about it.

**

It was much later when Rose awoke, the Doctor's arm now around her waist, anchoring her to him. The wagon seemed to be coming to a stop, and she heard the Doctor whisper her name. Part of her felt as though she were still in a dream, but she shook herself when the Doctor said her name again. 

"Rose, we're back."

She lifted her head slowly and blinked into the light, looking towards the TARDIS. "So we are."

"You slept well."

"I'm a heavy sleeper. Mum used to say the Wales Orchestra could play an entire symphony in my bedroom and I'd never hear it."

The Doctor laughed. "I don't doubt it. We'll have to try that sometime."

Rose snorted in reply, "Good luck getting them all into the TARDIS."

The Doctor let go of her and jumped off the wagon, then turned around to help her down. She immediately leaned forwards and wrapped her arms around his neck. She expected him to grab her waist again, but instead he slid his hands under her thighs, pulling her legs around his waist before gently easing her to the ground. She bit back her surprise and instead smiled up at him when he set her on the ground. 

He removed his hands from her entirely and smiled back at her. "Alright, Rose Tyler, let's go home."

They walked to the TARDIS, Rose feeling significantly more awake then before, and a little less afraid to talk to the Doctor. She knew she had to, that she couldn't back away when things were like this between them. She found herself itching to go forwards, and not with anybody else but him.

"Well, I don't know about you, Rose, but as dashing as I look in this tunic, I would like to change once we get ourselves back into the Vortex." He moved farther into the room and started his dance around the console, flipping levers and slamming buttons. 

"Dunno, it's kinda comfortable," Rose replied, "Roomy."

"A little too roomy, if you ask me," the Doctor shot back. 

She giggled, but quickly fell sober. "You know, Doctor, I think we should talk about what happened, back there. I know you just like to move on, you know, get away, but I think we should... Reflect."

The Doctor moved his gaze from the console to her. "I think we should, too," he said quietly. "I suppose I should start this off?" He flipped a final lever, sending them into the Vortex.

"If you'd like.'

"We can start on the fact that I built a statue of you for memory," he scratched the back of his neck uncertainly.

"If you'd like."

He blew out a long breath. "I did it for memory, I had a picture, but I didn't need it." He was talking slowly, as if it was taking a lot of effort for him to tell her all this, so she listened intently and did not interrupt him. "Michelangelo thought he was wasting his time with me, I think. I ruined some perfectly good marble because I needed things to be perfect."

She smiled softly at him. "And you did, it's perfect."

"That's the thing, it's perfect, and in our library now by the way, don't ask, Time Lord-y things, but that's not the point. You wonder why it's so... Spot on."

"I can't say I'm not curious," Rose replied softly, taking a tentative step towards him. "I'd like to know."

"It's perfect because I know exactly what every bit of you looks like. All of you, because I need to remember, because if I don't I'll have nothing. You, Rose," he took several steps towards her and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I shouldn't have your body memorized. But I do."

"Do you want to explain that?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah."

They watched each other for a moment, and the Doctor composed himself, breathing heavily and his hand shaking against her skin. "You're going to think I'm so daft."

"Try me."

"Rose, ever since I've met you, I've been memorizing you, because I know you'll be gone one day. But I've never done that with any of my companions. I want to know you better than anyone has ever known you."

"You do," Rose replied. "You're my best mate, Doctor."

"Maybe that's not enough for me anymore. Maybe when I realized that you could be gone, I had to change things."

"And that's why you kissed me."

"I kissed you because I wanted to."

Rose smiled softly and stepped closer to him, his fingers sliding from her cheek back into her hair. She watched his face closely for a reaction, finding only a soft look in his eyes that she suspected mirrored her own. She set her hands on his waist and tugged him closer by handfuls of his tunic. "Would you like to do it again?"

"Yeah, I would," the Doctor said quietly. He leaned down and touched his lips tentatively to hers. He pulled back, gauging her reaction. Her eyes had drifted closed and her lips were slightly parted, face tilted up to his.

"Don't stop," she whispered.

He really couldn't disobey her, not after all this. He kissed her again, harder, and with a touch of desperation behind it that wasn't there before, even when he'd kissed her out of joy of being alive. His other hand came up to her other cheek so his palms were framing her face and he tilted her head, deepening the angle, getting as close as possible.

Her arms slid entirely around his waist, surrendering herself entirely to his mouth. His tongue brushed uncertainly against her lips, and she opened up to him immediately, needing him close to her.

A few moments later he pulled away and touched his forehead to hers. "Rose, for so long, I-"

"If you think you're the only one, you're wrong."

He laughed breathlessly, wrapping his arms around her back to pull her into a hug. She went willingly, no longer having to resist the urge to cuddle into his chest. He rested his chin on her head, squeezing her to him as if he was afraid of losing her, which of course, he was.

"Stay with me?" He asked quietly, "Tonight?"

She knew what he was asking, and she was more than happy to oblige him in however he wanted, because she wanted it too. "Every night. But you do realize that time is relative on the TARDIS."

He laughed and moved his hands to tickle her sides. She giggled and squirmed away from him. "Okay, okay, come on, Time Lord, take me to bed."

"With pleasure," he mock-growled at her, lunging for her and pressing a harsh kiss to her mouth before dragging her down the hallway towards, presumably, the nearest bedroom. 

She found that she was correct as he kicked a door open to his bedroom. It was so very Doctor that she didn't even have to ask him. Books and papers tacked high on an old, worn desk, there were no clothes on the floor, proving that he was neat in some aspects. His chucks were lined up along the chest that was on the end of the bed. He wasn't paying nearly as much attention as she was, however, too focused on spinning her around, kicking the door closed, and bringing his mouth down to the skin of her neck. She brought her hands up to his head and held him there, her fingers drifting up into his hair. 

"My Fortuna, my Fortuna, my Fortuna," he whispered over and over into her skin, moving his mouth down to her collarbone. She newarly wept at the words, knowing exactly what they meant. She curled her fingers into his hair, tugging it at the roots.

"Doctor," she murmured, trying to get his attention back on her mouth where she wanted it. He released a bit of her skin with a wet pop and looked down at her. 

"Yes?" 

"I think we've both had enough teasing," she raised her eyebrows, imploring him, "Haven't we?"

"You couldn't be more right," he replied, removing the clip from the strap on her tunic, making the entire thing unravel. Out of habit, she gripped it to her chest, removing her hands from him. She heard him whimper at the loss. 

"Rose," he whispered, coming towards her again. 

She reached out and ripped his tunic from him in response. "Always thought you'd be in the pinstripes," she said smugly at the surprised look on his face. "You know, like unwrapping a gorgeous present," she leaned forward and nipped at his neck.

He shuddered before he stepped out of the puddle of fabric and ripped hers out from under her hands. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close, his nose brushing hers. "Next time."

***

"You gonna call me Fortuna?" She asked as they cuddled under the covers.

He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer to him. "You are my Fortuna," he said quietly. "She's the goddess of luck, and I've never felt luckier since I've been with you."

She pressed her lips to his chest and smiled. "Okay, then, I'm you're Fortuna."

She brought him luck, and he loved every moment of it.

He also loved her.


End file.
